Bios of 2005 cast of
RCCAA presents

"Oklahoma!"
Oklahoma Scene Pictures
Click to Enlarge!
 

 Phantom Director
Jill Jones (Director/Choreographer) -
 The theatre bug first bit Jill in high school where her first role was that of Peter Pan. Since then she went on to major in theatre in college and graduated from CMSU with a BSE and also a master's degree in Theatre. She teaches theatre at RHS and directs the shows there as well as community shows for RCCAA. She enjoys acting as much as directing, if not more, and has starred in shows too numerous to list
here. Her more recent roles on the Farris stage were Ouiser in STEEL MAGNOLIAS, and Carrie in CAROUSEL. Jill is married to Jon Jones who is project manager for Sirva and has three children: Zac, a college student at SMSU, Lexi- 9 years old and Nikai, a 5 year old adopted child from Guatemala. Jill serves on the boards of Friends of the Farris and Ray
County Community Arts Association.

Randy Wrisinger /Musical Director
     Randy is one of my favorite directors who has yet to give me his latest BIO. He is MEGA talented and fun to be around.  His encouragement of the cast enables him to draw high potential out of actors and singers alike.  Randy has recently directed RCCAA production of "Carousel" and "Scrooge".   KD (webmaster)
  
Here  is his Bio from a previous show...
   Randy has served as music director, accompanist, judge and performer in many capacities around the State of Missouri. Both a pianist and vocalist, musical theater is a first love. Randy is the proud Dad of Blake, age 11, and Elizabeth, age 6.  He resides in Kansas City and credits his musical success to his parents. Without their continued guidance and encouragement, musical enrichment is nothing without love and support.    

Billie Hamman / Coral Director/ Cast  Member
                  Billie is a lifelong resident of Richmond. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice and a  Bachelor of Music Education from the Conservatory of Music U.M.K.C.    She taught voice and piano privately for many years and taught vocal music in Richmond schools for 20 years.  She serves as Director of Music for the United Christian Presbyterian  Church. Billie has preformed in all Kiwanis Theater Guild productions with the exception of Guilds first  first show "Oklahoma", so she is especially pleased to be a part of the current productions of "Oklahoma".     

CAST:

Bruce Burstert as "Curly"
           Bruce loves to come back to Richmond, his home town, to perform at the Farris.
He is the owner of Smith and Burstert in Kansas City, where he sings every 1st Friday during the Art Openings in Crossroads.
          Bruce studies voice with Arnold Epley at William Jewell College. He will be in the production of Puccini's  Opera "Edgar" with the Kansas City Civic Opera in August.

Victoria Hill as " Laurey" ,
           Victoria is a Senior this year at Richmond High School. She recently preformed as "Eve" in "Children of Eden".  She has been in 5 productions of "Scrooge", among many HS Plays. She is active in school choir, theater, a basketball cheerleader, and has been a member of MCDA All State Honors Choir for 2 years. She is daughter of Stephanie and David Hessenflow, Granddaughter of Vocal Director, Billie Hamman. Victoria has many vocal awards in High School on the District and State Level in choir.

         
Annie Quick as Ado Annie
                  Annie has been seen on the Farris stage in The Scarlet Pimpernel (Marie Tussaud), Scrooge (Ghost of Christmas Past),  and Sound of Music (Nun).  Annie works as a microbiologist at Truman Medical Center and is a member of the Farris Mirthmakers. 

Jim Thacker as "Judd  Fry"                    

Jim is a Richmond native, although he has been gone for quite  a while with the military and traveling for his job.  He participated often  in plays and musicals throughout high school. Since then, he has done  community theater in Oklahoma, where he was in "The Man Who Came to Dinner, and  Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Coat.  This is Jim's first play with the  gang at the  Farris Theater, where he plays the part of Jud Fry, a sinister  farmhand after the heart of Laurey.

Josh Burstert as "Will" 
           Josh is a student at the Richmond High School and has been in RCCAA production of "Carosel" and "Scrooge".  He is active in his church and enjoys being in this years production of "Oklahoma".

F.G. Weary as "Ali Hakim" 

F.G. Weary- (Ali Hakim)  A graduate of the University of Missouri in 1948 with a BA in Business and also a veteran and survivor of the "Battle of the Bulge" at Bastogne.  F. G. served as a guard in the trial of war criminals  at Nuremburg, Germany.  After graduating from MU he built the Highway 13 Drive-In Theatre in Henrietta in 1950.  In 1958 he build the Highway 13 Bowl and later on managed the Farris Theatre starting in 1970.  He was involved
in CATV and later operated Golden Skies Direct TV in 30 states.  F. G. has acted in all of the Kiwanis Guild shows, initiating them with Don Jackson in 1963, where the role of Ali Hakim was also played by him then.  He has also performed in several productions by the Ray County Arts Association.  His favorite show has always been OKLAHOMA!.
Leslyn Farmer as   "Aunt Eller "

This production of Oklahoma! is the 6th RCCAA production in which Leslyn Farmer has been involved.  Most recently, Leslyn appeared as Elsa Schraeder in The Sound of Music in April.  She portrayed Truvy in Steel Magnolias in 1997 ? and again in 2004.  She appeared as Julia in Lend Me a Tenor in 2001 and as Nettie Fowler in Carousel in 2003.  She also

participated in 2 Richmond Kiwanis Theatre Guild productions ? as Sister Berthe in their 1989 production of The Sound of Music (she also served as the Children?s Musical Director for that show), and as Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof in 1984.  
 Leslyn, and husband Scott Farmer, live and work in Richmond.  They have 2 children (daughter Jennifer and her husband Dennis
Blair, son Farrell Farmer and his wife Lisa) and 5 grandchildren (Maggie,
Mollie, Caley & Max Blair and Ellie Farmer).
John Richardson as Ike Skidmore,  

John is a member of the Ray County Arts Association and Friends of the Farris.  He will be retiring from the Richmond R-16 School District where he has been a teacher, coach and technology coordinator.  John is a member of the Richmond United Methodist Church and is a member of the Chancel and Hand Bell Choirs.  John has been
in numerous productions at the Farris, the last being Music Man with the high school.  He is married to Opal and they have two daughters, Jonelle Hall and Kristin, other important family members are son-in-law, Eric and grandson, Evan.

Frank W. Outersky  as  Andrew Carnes

Frank is a graduate of Richmond High School.  Reprising his role as Andrew Carnes from his Senior High School Musical in 1985 under the direction of Jill Jones and has appeared in many of the major productions including “Wizard of Oz”, “Scrooge! The Musical” “The Scarlet Pimpernel” and many others.  In addition to his duties as Executive Director/House Manager,
Frank also builds the sets and acts as Technical Director for some of the productions.  Frank has served as Executive Director/House Manager since July 24, 2000.  Prior to that time, he served on the Board of Directors for the Friends of the Farris and was past president of the Ray County Community  Arts Association.
 

Maria DeAngelo  as Gertie Cummings

Maria DeAngelo (15) is the daughter of Joe and Karen DeAngelo. Performing in over 20 shows, Maria started acting with the RCCAA’s Youth Arts Players at age 8, and developed her love for the theatre. In 2001 Maria was accepted into the YAP All-Stars program. She has had the privilege of acting in the RCCAA’s productions of “Scrooge” and “Carrousel”. In ’01 and ’02 she performed in the drama “The Glory and the Fire”. Some other favorites were “Children of Eden” and “And Then There Were None”. Maria plans a future in professional theatre as she is both a pianist and a vocalist. She attends Christian Fellowship Ministries and enjoys working at Agape’ Christian Academy. She owes all her credit to her Lord, Jesus Christ!

Hal J. Middleton  (Cord Elam)
     Hal is an RXVI graduate. He is also a graduate of Wentworth Military Junior College and earned a B.S.E.D. from MO Western State and his master's in social studies from Northwest Missouri State University.  He is active with the Baptist Church choir and has been in past productions with the RCCAA playing such parts as Abner in LIL' ABNER, and the lion in THE WIZARD OF OZ.  Has presently is a social studies teacher at Richmond Middle School.

The Chorus Consists Of:

Sam Bowman
   Samuel Bowman is entering the ninth grade at Richmond High School.  He has performed in Seven Youth Arts Players and Farris All Star plays, including School House Rock.  He was also in "The Scarlet Pimpernell" last fall.  He is the son of Tom Bowman and Sara Seidel.

Bonnie George

 a retired kindergarten teacher has appeared many times on this stage.

  She has performed leading female roles in many of the Kiwanis Theatre Guild productions.  As a dedicated member of the Friends of the Farris, she has
brought much needed funds to the Farris through her "Musical Potpourris."
Denise Wallace:
At the encouragement of a neighborhood friend, Denise began dancing in local recitals when she was five years old.  Over the years, it grew to include singing in church choir performances as well as a duet at Girl's State.  Her love for performance took her to Missouri Repertory Theatre in the early 1980's.  After studying under Dame Libby Komaiko Flemming and LaTamara, she went on to become a professional Flamenco dancer.  She is
currently a foreign language instructor at Wentworth Military Academy.
Patti Bamman
joined the Kiwanis Theater Guild in 1963 and was in the cast of the first production of Oklahoma, also Brigadoon, Music Man and South Pacific.  She has been singing in choruses and choirs in the Kansas City area for many years..
Jo Ellen Dale, (Mrs. Dick B.) is a retired language teacher with a lifelong interest in music.  She sang in the chorus of many Kiwanis Theatre Guild productions including Brigadoon, Annie Get Your Gun, On a Clear Day, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair lady and others.  More recently she served as a consultant on the The Scarlet Pimpernel.  She is very happy to be in the chorus of Oklahoma working with such talented young people.
 
Quentin Stevenson
 
This fall, Quentin will be a sophomore at Richmond High School.  He most recently appeared in Children of Eden as "Cain" and "Japheth".  He began his acting career at the Farris at age eight and has performed in many productions since.  Quentin loves music and enjoys performing with his band.  He also plays basketball and tennis.  Quentin is the son of David and Julie Stevenson.
 David Stevenson
 
David joins the cast of Oklahoma! to "have fun".   David has performed in several Farris productions including "Scrooge, the Musical"  and "Carousel".  He enjoys the opportunity to work with all the members of the cast.  David teaches fifth grade at the Richmond Intermediate School.  He is married to Julie and is the father of Quentin.
Judith (Judy) Watkins
 
Judy is a veteran on this stage, having performed in all of the Kiwanis Theatre Guild musicals except one.  She feels honored to be in this performance of "Oklahoma", as that was the first musical in which she performed in l963.
Susie Holt came from Bethany, MO 23 years ago.  She is a respiratory therapist at Ray County Memorial Hospital.  She sang in Sweet Adeline's for a couple of years in Lexington and has always had a desire to be in a play. This is her debut.  Susie has one son, Chris, and is the grandmother of Logan and Dylan Maxwell.
Martha Balman is new to the Farris.  She is a fifth grade teacher at Sunrise School, formally known as Richmond Intermediate.  She sings in the United Methodist Church Choir and also plays hand bells under the direction of Opal Richardson.  Martha is the wife of Everett Balman and mother of Amanda and the late Bill Balman.
 
Kaitlin Sanders is the 15 year old daughter of Kent and Lynn Sanders. She lives north of Richmond on her father's livestock farm, Sanders Valley Angus. With two younger brothers and a sibling on the way, she is enjoying her high school experience and looks forward to being a sophomore at Richmond High School. As a former member of RCCAA's Youth Arts Players she performed in Voyage Aboard the Charming Sally as a sailor, Annie, Jr. as an orphan, Oliver Twist as Ms. Bedwin, and One Magic Moment as Marissa. Kaitlin enjoys  English, math, plays, volleyball, and singing. As a member of the high school  concert
choir and chamber choir, she participates in ensembles and solos at  district and
state levels. Kaitlin plans to attend Florida College, private, not  the state
college, and to become an English teacher. As a chorus member of  Oklahoma!
Kaitlin hopes you enjoy the play.

Opal Richardson        

Opal Richardson, Chorus, has been in several Farris productions and has directed Scrooge.  She is a board member of Ray County Arts Association and a member of the Friends of the Farris.  Opal has taught vocal music at all levels in the Richmond and Hardin-Central School Districts, currently teaching K-2 music at Richmond.  Opal is a member of the Richmond United Methodist Church and is director of the Chancel and Hand bell Choirs.  She
is married to John and has the same wonderful daughters, son-in-law and grandson as John Richardson (above).
 

Holly Petticord

Holly Petticord- (Ellen) has not participated in theatre since attending Liberty High School but this year acted in the dinner theatre production of OUIJA BOARD TO DEATH, as a fund raiser for the Farris.  She moved to Richmond with her husband, Jason, who is also helping with the show backstage, in the fall of 2004 and is working at Garner-McCalley Abstract and Title Co.  She is also a member of the Richmond Kiwanis Club.  Holly would like to thank her husband Jason and her stepson, Austin, for their support and the community for making her feel welcome.

Brittany Palmer
          Brittany is a Junior at Richmond High School. This is her first RCCAA Production as a dancing girl and in the chorus. Brittany likes to sing and rtead.

Tracy Kogers
            

Tracy Koger- (chorus)  is a 1993 graduate of Richmond High School.  Her
previous performances include high school productions of HOW TO SUCCEED IN
BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, SOUTH PACIFIC, FINIAN'S RAINBOW, and THE
WIZARD OF OZ.  Tracy is a Richmond resident married to Terry Koger.  They
have two sons, Trystan and Aaron.  She is the daughter of David and Janice
Plummer.

Jennifer Blair                

Jennifer is excited to be a part of her first community theatre production, which involves three generations of her family.  In high school, Jennifer was involved in the musicals ANNIE and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, as well as numerous other vocal music venues.  Jennifer is employed at Wentworth Military Academy and lives in Richmond.  Special thanks to her loving, supportive family:  Dennis, Caley, Max, Maggie and
Mollie.

Carey Hanes
                        Bio Coming Soon!



Bonnie Pointer McCalley ( Mrs. A. V.)
       was in the production of "Oklahoma" (chorus) in 1963.  Also in the chorus of "Brigadoon", "Annie Get Your Gun", Ethel Tofflemeyer (spelling ?) in "Music Man", the chorus of "Showboat", "Free State of Ray", and "On a Clear Day".  Mrs McCalley was co-owner of Pointer's Jewelers from 1951 until 1992.  She is now retired and enjoys  music, cats, knitting, and her family.

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